1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lawn mower cutting implement. Specifically, the invention relates to a lawn mower cutting implement that has a cutting element, such as flexible nylon cord, spring steel, or metal wire, extending from opposite ends of a shortened mounting plate that replaces a conventional lawn mower blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional lawn mower blades are made of flat plates of steel having an edge ground thereon and a hole for securing same to the lower end of a vertical output shaft of an engine. Typically, the plate has a bend or twist on either side for generating airflow for circulating and expelling grass clippings. String trimmers are also known, which have replaceable or extensible nylon line for cutting grass, weeds, and other undesired vegetation. While there have been attempts at combining these two technologies, there has not yet been a commercially viable system that both utilizes replaceable media for cutting grass and provides necessary airflow for lifting and expelling clippings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,990, issued to Fisher et al. on Nov. 28, 1978, shows a conventional push mower with a circular disc in place of a mower blade, the disc supporting a plurality of nylon pins extending radially. Adjacent each pin, upwardly swept vanes are formed into the disc for creating an upward flow of air and agitating the grass. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,068, issued Nov. 25, 1980 to Corner, discloses a mower attachment comprising a device for feeding nylon cord that cuts grass. This device is positioned below a fan blade that generates airflow, improves the evenness of the cut, suspends grass particles above the cutting mechanism, and exhausts the particles to a catch bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,642, issued to Thurber on Nov. 24, 1981, describes a lawn mower having a circular disc supporting a plurality of nylon chords extending radially therefrom, the disc having, on its upper surface, a plurality of vertical, radially-oriented flexible fins for discharging cut grass. For the purpose of providing improved mulching action, U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,144, issued Sep. 28, 1982 to Benenati, shows a polymer mower blade having 12 evenly spaced cutting edges disposed at 3 different heights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,563, issued Apr. 30, 1985 to Roser et al., discloses a lawn mower having a star-shaped hub supporting and capturing enlarged ends of nylon filaments so that the free ends extend radially. U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,665, issued May 15, 1990, to Crosley, teaches a circular disc having a plurality of wire cutters extending therefrom, and radial fins each extending along the disc radius, extending at an angle up from the plane of the disc to generate airflow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,867, issued Jun. 23, 1998 to Carlsen, discloses a similar device having a plurality of radially disposed nylon filaments extending from a hub.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a lawn mower cutting implement solving the aforementioned problems is desired.